"Inspired by New York with all its harshness and beauty, black anchors a palette highlighted by scarlet, cerise, teal, aubergine, tan and lychee. Timeless, modern yet easy- to- wear." - Tracy Reese(Credit: Handout)

What do Hitchcock's femme fatales, a mosque in Istanbul and Mozart have in common? Each was inspiration for the fall 2013 collections of fashion designers who will be strutting their stuff on catwalks all over town beginning Thursday as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week takes over Manhattan. It may seem premature, with the end of winter almost in sight -- you've probably just begun to fantasize about your...

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New York Fashion Week: Designers' inspiration

February 1, 2013 5:47 PM

What do Hitchcock's femme fatales, a mosque in Istanbul and Mozart have in common? Each was inspiration for the fall 2013 collections of fashion designers who will be strutting their stuff on catwalks all over town beginning Thursday as Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week takes over Manhattan.

It may seem premature, with the end of winter almost in sight -- you've probably just begun to fantasize about your spring wardrobe. Not so for designers, who have been feverishly working on these fall collections since September. And if, like us, you sometimes wonder, "What were they thinking?," well, a slew of designers were kind enough to tell us and share a glimpse of their work. -- Anne Bratskeir